TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A group of Latino truck drivers is threatening to boycott Florida over a new immigration rule that they say unfairly targets immigrants.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1718 on May 10 to combat what he says are “the dangerous effects of illegal immigration caused by the federal government’s reckless border policies,” according to a news release from his office.
The legislation makes using e-verify mandatory for any employer with 25 or more employees, imposes enforceable penalties for those employing illegal aliens and enhances penalties for human smuggling.
Additionally, the bill prohibits local governments from issuing Identification Cards (ID) to illegal aliens, invalidates ID cards issued to illegal aliens in other states and requires hospitals to collect and submit data on the costs of providing healthcare to illegal aliens.
Around TikTok and other social media platforms, many Latino truckers are posting videos saying they will not haul loads to the Sunshine State as long as the law is in place.
Truck Driver Roberto Sandoval posted a video asking his fellow drivers to stay out of Florida over the “stupid, silly (law) in defense of our Latin American brother.”
One video shows a truck driver saluting while a voice says in Spanish that his truck will not be picking up or dropping off cargo in Florida “in solidarity.”
A video by another trucker notes that fellow truckers should avoid hauling to Florida “so they appreciate the emigrant.”
The truck driver went on to say that he wants “Florida to run out of loads.”
Alix Miller, president of the Florida Trucking Association, said he’s seen no evidence that a boycott is underway.
Miller wrote in an e-mail to The Trucker that he’s aware of the proposed boycott but hasn’t “heard of any issues” related to it.
The Trucker News Staff produces engaging content for not only TheTrucker.com, but also The Trucker Newspaper, which has been serving the trucking industry for more than 30 years. With a focus on drivers, the Trucker News Staff aims to provide relevant, objective content pertaining to the trucking segment of the transportation industry. The Trucker News Staff is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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